Enlarger Lenses

[simple.joy]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I'm new here, so: Hi, everyone!

Firstly, thanks for this wonderful thread and all the interesting information and images in it!

Am 1.5.2018 um 05:43 schrieb alan mcfall:

Leitz offered the VOORT, a 9.5cm f/4 lens, likely based on the 90mm f/4 Elmar.

I've been interested in Leitz enlarging lenses for a while now and have recently also tried some of the older (Varob 5 cm and Voort 9.5 cm) on my camera as taking lenses. I love how the latter renders, it's a really nice mix of adequate sharpness/detail and a wonderful soft look:

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

I wasn't able to find anything significant in terms of construction though. The information above (about it being likely based on the Elmar) are pretty much the only thing. Has anyone here ever seen a drawing of the design or disasembled one of those lenses in order to check how many groups/elements it really got? Unfortunately I'm not nearly skilled enough to attempt that and wouldn't want to risk a fine lens like that...

From a look at the reflections I would say, that it could also be a 5/3 design, but it's really hard to tell with uncoated lenses like this and I guess it would be somewhat unlikely given the time it was made... That's why I would really appreciate any info!

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[M.Hilo]

On 8/31/2023 at 2:34 PM, simple.joy said:

I've been interested in Leitz enlarging lenses for a while now and have recently also tried some of the older (Varob 5 cm and Voort 9.5 cm) on my camera as taking lenses.

I wasn't able to find anything significant in terms of construction though. The information above (about it being likely based on the Elmar) are pretty much the only thing. Has anyone here ever seen a drawing of the design or disasembled one of those lenses in order to check how many groups/elements it really got?

 

Here a site about enlarger lenses, and specifically the lens you're asking about. It does not seem to have much information but I have given this little time. If I were you I'd write them.

https://deltalenses.com/product/leitz-wetzlar-voort-95-4/

[UliWer]

The Focotar-2, made from 1974-1977 was the last 50mm enlarger lens made by Leica; the 5.6/100 being produced for some more years. It has 5 lenses in 4 groups. Today its rather rare and I presume a good quantity of them are still used for their original purposes. When my scanner brakes down one day and I decide to start reproducing film for digital this will be my lens of choice:

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

[Guest]

46 minutes ago, UliWer said:

The Focotar-2, made from 1974-1977 was the last 50mm enlarger lens made by Leica; the 5.6/100 being produced for some more years. It has 5 lenses in 4 groups. 

The numerical code for the Focotar-2 was 17582. Do you happen to know the code for the Focotar II 100mm?

By the way, I am using the Focotar-2 to scan my 35mm negatives with a BEOON  and a CL. The lens is indeed perfect for this purpose.

[M.Hilo]

2 hours ago, UliWer said:

The Focotar-2, made from 1974-1977 was the last 50mm enlarger lens made by Leica; the 5.6/100 being produced for some more years. It has 5 lenses in 4 groups. Today its rather rare and I presume a good quantity of them are still used for their original purposes.

Yes, I use both Focotars-II lenses (50 and 100mm) with the Leitz enlargers (Valoy II, Focomat Ic and IIc) and so do many friends and colleagues. The arrival of digital was a true blessing, because the stiff prices of secondhand Leitz equipment went down considerably and many of us could finally afford these wonderful pieces of equipment.

 

 

[Guest]

@M.Hilo: "Yes, I use both Focotars-II lenses (50 and 100mm) with the Leitz enlargers (Valoy II, Focomat Ic and IIc) and so do many friends and colleagues. The arrival of digital was a true blessing, because the stiff prices of secondhand Leitz equipment went down considerably and many of us could finally afford these wonderful pieces of equipment."

In case of the latest Focotar generation (Focotar-2 50mm, Focotar II 100mm), I am afraid that this blessing was a temporary one. With the arrival of EVF, many users started adapting these lenses for macro photography. They are now quite expensive and very difficult to find. 

 

[simple.joy]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Am 3.9.2023 um 11:23 schrieb M.Hilo:

Here a site about enlarger lenses, and specifically the lens you're asking about. It does not seem to have much information but I have given this little time. If I were you I'd write them.

https://deltalenses.com/product/leitz-wetzlar-voort-95-4/

Thank you! I'm actually contributing to the deltalenses project, fellow manual lens enthusiast Mark has started some time ago. He is currently working on some of the Leitz timelines and details so while everything there in terms of single products and articles has to be considered a work-in-progress still, he is very dedicated at providing a really good overview. Because all of this is a hobby project, based on personal interest in the matter, he's also very thankful for everyone who is willing to help out by providing additional numbers, corrections, information or data sheets, so if you or anyone else here has an interest in some of those (often times lesser known and appreciated) Leitz lenses, please don't hesitate to reach out to him.

Personal experiences with single lenses can also be contributed by the comment function on the website, so that's another way of providing some more depth and a personal touch to these lenses, if anyone looks them up in the future.

Am 3.9.2023 um 16:04 schrieb Studienkamera:

The numerical code for the Focotar-2 was 17582. Do you happen to know the code for the Focotar II 100mm?

That would be very interesting to know... I'll ask Mark (initiator of the deltalenses project, mentioned above) if he has stumbled upon that information yet. So far I've never seen one.

vor 17 Stunden schrieb Studienkamera:

In case of the latest Focotar generation (Focotar-2 50mm, Focotar II 100mm), I am afraid that this blessing was a temporary one. With the arrival of EVF, many users started adapting these lenses for macro photography. They are now quite expensive and very difficult to find. 

While it's true that the Focotar-2 50 mm has been in high demand among macro shooters - at least for a while (turns out there are quite a few ELs on the same level, when it comes to macro shooting which are considerably cheaper) - I don't think the Focotar II 100mm lenses were bought up by people who adapt them to digital cameras for the most part. So far I'm one of 3 or 4 people I've heard about who do that, and I've read about way more people than that who use it in on an enlarger. My sample has been used in its original application as well, before I got it, so I would suspect it just isn't a lens many people consider selling if they have one...

 

[UliWer]

Am 3.9.2023 um 16:04 schrieb Studienkamera:

The numerical code for the Focotar-2 was 17582. Do you happen to know the code for the Focotar II 100mm?

The Leitz catalogue from 1978 mentions the Focotar-2 1:4.5/100mm as a standard accessory of the Focomat IIc (together with the Focotar 1:4.5/60mm) but doesn't give a special product number for the lens. So it looks as if it was not for sale separately. The Focotar-2 1:4.5/50mm (product number 17582) has its own entry as an accessory for the Focomat Ic. 

[Michael Geschlecht]

Hello Everybody,

This is the 19 Jan 1976 Leitz, Rockleigh, New Jersey price list for the Focomat II & Focomat II lenses:

17877 - 60 mm Focotar f4.5 lens         $165.00

17878 - 100 mm V-Elmar f 4.5 lens         $165.00

The 1 Feb 1977 Leitz, Rockleigh, New Jersey price list has the Focomat II.     It does not list any Focomat II lenses.

 

Both price lists, list the - 50mm Focotar-2 lens f 4.5  for the Focomat I           246.00 in 1976        288.00 in 1977

Best Regards,

Michael

 

Edited September 11, 2023 by Michael Geschlecht

[Guest]

Some more info about the Focotar-2 50mm and Focotar II 100mm enlarger lenses:

The Focotar-2 50mm was announced in LFI 05/1975, the Focotar II 100mm in LFI 03/1977. 

When it comes to these two lenses, the production figures quoted by Puts and Thiele are very different:

• Focotar-2 50mm: Puts lists 7550 lenses between 1974-1977, Thiele 2900 lenses for the same period.
• Focotar II 100mm: Puts lists 2800 lenses between 1974-1981, Thiele 3750 lenses for the same period.

My Focotar-2 lens falls outside the serial number range quoted by Puts, but within the range quoted by Thiele.

My Focotar II lens falls within the serial number ranges quoted by both authors.

[Guest]

On 9/3/2023 at 11:13 PM, UliWer said:

The Focotar-2, made from 1974-1977 was the last 50mm enlarger lens made by Leica; the 5.6/100 being produced for some more years. It has 5 lenses in 4 groups. 

Thiele indeed mentions a 5/4 design for the Focotar-2 50mm, but LFI 05/1975 talks about a modified Gauss Design with 6 lenses ("sechslinsigen, modifizierten Gauß-Typ"). The Focotar-II 100mm was a "modified Gauss type with 1 cemented component" according to the general catalogue 1978. Thus, I assume the Focotar-2 has a 6/4 design, while the Focotar-II has a 6/5 design.

By the way, I have never seen any lens cross-sections for these lenses. Would be great to see them. I also wonder who designed these lenses. Wasn't Walter Mandler head of lens design at Leitz during that period? Doesn't mean that he designed these lenses, of course. Both lenses are amazing, the Focotar-II is probably the best lens I have ever used for its intended magnification range (and beyond).

Edited September 26, 2023 by Studienkamera

[UliWer]

vor 9 Stunden schrieb Studienkamera:

I also wonder who designed these lenses. Wasn't Walter Mandler head of lens design at Leitz during that period?

Mandler was only responsible for the Canadian branch of lens design. There was a second branch in Wetzlar. I am sure that the Focotar was designed by one of the many unknown "gremlins" who worked for Leitz and did their job as well as the famous men (about whom nobody knows what they really designed themselves and what was done by their unnamed colleagues).